Buttonhole-sewing machine.



PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905.

J. E. UMPLEBY. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR I By 6 W a A TTOHNE Y5 PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905 J. E. UMPLEBY.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-.19, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ,4? A 770/?NE rs //V VENTOH W/T/VESSES:

a {Ta/WW M STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- JAMES E. UMPLEBY, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MACHINECOMPANY, OF MAMARONECK, NEWV YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HU'ITOWHOLIE- SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 14:, 1905.

Application filed March 19, 1903. Serial No. 148,500.

T0 at whom 1125 may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. UMPLEBY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Troy, county of 'Rensselaer, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inButtonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof.

My invention relates to buttonhole-sewing machines, and particularly toan improved mechanism therein for presenting the work for stitching.

My invention consists in certain improved means for holding andpresenting the work for stitching, comprising a crowned and groovedthroat-plate and a work-clamp having clamping-jaws fitted to the groovedportions of the throat-plate.

The object of my invention is to present the work for stitching in sucha position that the purl will be formed as close to the edge of thebuttonhole as possible and in so presenting the work to hold the samevery firmly against accidental movement. It will be remembered thatmachines of this character in order to be economical must be run atquite high speeds, and if the work be not held very firmly it is liableto be misplaced during the rapid shifting movements of the work-clampingmeans. In grooving the throat-plate and fitting the clamping-jaws to thesaid grooves I have provided means whereby the work will be held veryfirmly against accidental movement and yet with little liability to tearthe goods, while in crowning the throat-plate between the groovedportions I have presented the work for stitching in the most ap provedposition.

I will now proceed to describe a device embodying my invention and willthen point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a machineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of certain portionscomprising a portion of the bed of the machine, the worleclamp, and thethroatplate. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same partssubstantially upon the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the same parts with the work-clamp bracket in section. Fig.5 is a View in detail of the work-clamp and its mounting. Fig. 6 is adetail side elevation of the clamping-jaws of the work-clamp and theirsupport. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the crowning of thework.

As my present invention relates solely to the improved means for holdingthe work and presenting the same to the needle for stitching, it will beunnecessary to describe in detail the somewhat-complicated mechanism ofa buttonhole-sewing machine. I have therefore shown in the drawings, atFig. 1, but a single view of the complete sewingmachine and in the otherviews have shown enlarged details of that portion thereof constitutingmy invention. The type of machine that I have illustrated is fully shownand described in United States Patent to James T. I-Iogan, No. 649,870,dated May 15, 1900. A machine of this type comprises a bed-plate 1, anarm 2, needle mechanism, including a reciprocating needle-bar, 3, meansfor producing a jogging movement of the needle and needle-bar to formside stitches, including a vibrating quadrant 4 and an arm 5, connectingsame to the needle-bar frame, and a work-clampcarrying bar 6, having alongitudinal and transverse movement imparted thereto by mechanism (notshown herein) in a manner well known. The longitudinal movement is forthe purpose of im parting a feed to the work, so as to progress ivelysidestitch along the side of the but- I tonhole, and the transversemovement is to shift the work-clamp first of all to a central positionfor end barring, and, secondly, to shift the work so that side-stitchingmay be performed along the other edge of the buttonhole.

The work-clamp herein comprises a bracket 7, which is secured to the bar6, and hence partakes of its transverse and longitudinal movement.Supported upon the bracket 7 by a pivotal or hinged connection 8 is abifur cated arm 9. The bifurcated portion of the arm 9 carries a frame10, to which are secured the clamping-jaws 11. A stud 12 is secured tothe bracket 7 and p asses through a perforation in the arm 9, and ahelical spring 13 surrounds the said stud above the arm 9 and is causedto bear thereon, so as to press the saidv arm and the clamping-jawscarried thereby downwardly bya nut 14, and by means of which the tensionof the spring 13 may be regulated.

A throat-plate 15 is mounted upon the bed of the machine and is arrangedto have a limited transverse movement thereon between slideways 16. Thethroat-plate has a slot 17 therein, which is engaged by a dependent stud18, carried by the bracket 7 of the work-clamp, By reason of thisconnection the throat-plate 15 will be caused to partake of thetransverse movement of the work-clamp when it is so moved by movement ofthe bar 6, but will in no way impede the free movement of the work-clamplongitudinally. It will itself, however, be held stationary againstlongitudinal movement by engagement with its slideways 16.

The throat-plate 15 has a portion longitudinally ribbed or crowned, asat 19, along the medial line of which is arranged the usualbuttonhole-cutter slot 20 and transverse of which is the needle-slot 21.The apex of the longitudinal crown or ribbed portion is of a width lessthan the total range of the j 0g ging movement of the needle on bothsides of the buttonhole, so that the needle in its operation willpenetrate the inclined portions of the crown of the work formed thereby.Upon opposite sides of the longitudinally crowned or ribbed portion 19are two longitudinal grooves or recesses 22. These longitudinal groovesor recesses are arranged longitudinally beneath the clamping-jaws 11 ofthe work-clamp.

When the parts are in operative position, the work will be su portedupon the throatplate and engaged by the clampin -jaws 11 of thework-clamp. These jaws being arranged immediately above the grooves orrecesses 22 in the throat-plate will stretch the fabric over the crownedportion 19 of the throat-plate, pressing the fabric at the sides intothe grooves or recesses thereof. The material will thereby be held veryfirmly against accidental displacement and will be presented to theneedle for stitching in a crowned condition. The diagrammaticillustration in Fig. 7 of the drawings illustrates this conditionclearly. The work so crowned will then be stitched, and although thepurl of the stitching may be drawn toward a central position beneath theneedle the flattening out of the material after it is removed from themachine will draw the purl portions of the stitching upon opposite sidesof the buttonhole together, so as to produce the desired condition andappearance. As shown, the needle is arranged to penetrate the inclinedside portions of the work between the a er; of the crowned or ribbedportion and t e base of the recessed or depressed portions. Theclamping-jaws will combine with the recessed portions of thethroat-plate to hold the work firmly in position, whether or not thecentral portion be crowned above the normal level of the throat-plate;but where the throat-plate is crowned, as shown, this combination isparticularly useful and effective.

hat I claim is- 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination withbuttonhole-stitching mechanism, including a vertically-reciproeatingneedle-bar and means for producing relative lateral movements betweenthe needle-bar and the work, of a throat-plate for supporting the workto be operated upon, said throat-plate having a longitudinal crown orrib, and having longitudinal grooves or depressions one upon each sideof the said rib, work-clamping means comprising clamping-jaws arrangedopposite the said longitudinal depressions and fitted thereto wherebythe work is held securely against lateral displacement, and means forreciprocating the clamping-jaws relatively to the throat-plate.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination with buttonholestitchingmechanism, including a vertically-reciprocating needle-bar and means forproducing relative lateral movements between the needle-bar and the.work, of a throat-plate for supporting the work to be operated upon,said'throat-plate having a longitudinal crown or rib, and havinglongitudinal grooves or depressions one upon each side of the said rib,work-clamping means comprising spring-actuated clampingjaws arrangedopposite the said longitudinal depressions and fitted thereto wherebythe work is held securely against lateral displacement, and means forreciprocating the clamping-jaws relatively to the throat-plate.

3. In a sewingmachine, the combination with buttonhole-stitchingmechanism, in cluding a vertically-reciprocating and laterally-vibratinneedle-bar, of a throat-plate having two longitudinal grooves arrangedtherein beyond the limits of the said lateral vibrating movements of theneedlebar,workclamping means comprising two clampingjaws, fitted to thesaid grooves whereby the work is held securely against lateraldisplacement, and means for reciprocating the clamping-jaws relativelyto the throat-plate.

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination with buttonholestitchingmechanism, including means for producing a jogging movement of theneedle relatively to the work, of means for crowning the work at thepoint at which the needle is operating, including a throat-plate havinga longitudinal crown or ribbed portion, the apex of which is of a widthless than the range of the said jogging movement on both sides of thebuttonhole, and having longitudinal grooves or depressed portions, oneon each side of said crown or ribbed portion, work-clamping meanscomprising two clamping-jaws fitted to the said eoaeeo 3 groovedportions of the throat-plate,whereby portion of the throat-plate and thebase of the Work is held securely against lateral disthe grooved ordepressed portions thereof.

1)lLC61n6Ilt,-2L11d means for reciprocating the JAMIE F UMPLFBYclamping-jaws relatively to the throat-plate, i A J 5 said needlearranged in its movements to Witnesses:

penetrate the inclined side portions of the CHAS. M. BINGHAM,

Work, intermediate the apex of the crowned R. G. BREWER.

